Patriot launches SandForce-based Inferno SSD range

Patriot today joined the many manufacturers who have recently launched SandForce-based solid-state drives, announcing the availability of its Inferno drives. Armed with the SF-1222 controller, the 2.5-inch SSDs boast maximum read and write rates of 285MB/s and 275MB/s, respectively. Those speeds are increasingly common, as Corsair, OCZ and Mushkin have models with similar, if not identical specs.

As you might expect, both Inferno models feature wear-leveling algorithms courtesy of SandForce DuraClass technology, and they're bundled with a 2.5-inch to 3.5-inch mount for desktop installation. The drives are currently shipping in 100GB and 200GB capacities via your standard e-tailers, including Newegg, who has them in stock for $369 and $679 – quite a bit cheaper than OCZ's Vertex 2.

Of note, Patriot backs the Inferno line with a gracious five-year warranty, whereas most other companies offer three.

Sharp IS01 smartbook ships to developers

Sharp has begun shipping its IS01 smartbook to developers in Japan, while a consumer release is planned for June – sooner than the previously expected October launch. The developer version, JN-DK01, ships with an SDK, access to the Android SH Developers Square site, and contains Android 1.6 API along with Sharp's own extended API for "infrared data transfer, LED flashlight, camera, opening and closing [notifications], and file picker."

The IS01 is more compact than a conventional netbook-style device, toting a 5-inch 960x480 capacitive multitouch display, a trackball, 4GB of internal storage which is expandable via microSD, and a 1GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Other specs include an FM transmitter, 1Seg digital TV tuner, as well as EVDO modem and phone functionality, but developers won't have access to all those features initially – if ever, according to Pocketables.

It's worth noting that the unit has no Google apps, such as Gmail and YouTube, nor does it provide access to the Android Market. There's no word on pricing or availability to other regions.

Gigabyte shows X58 mobo with seven PCIe 2.0 x16 slots

Gigabyte has launched a new motherboard that begs the question, who needs PCI slots anyway? Built around Intel's flagship X58 chipset, the GA-X58A-UD9 is home to seven PCIe 2.0 x16 slots, but not one PCI, PCIe x1 or any other expansion slot for that matter.

Powering the slots is two Nvidia nF200 chips, which deliver support for four-way SLI or CrossFire setups. The XL-ATX motherboard is also fitted with six DIMM slots ready to tackle DDR3 2200+ RAM, 12 SATA ports (two of which support 6Gb/s), two USB 3.0 ports, and dual gigabit Ethernet.

Additionally, the GA-X58A-UD9 boasts a 24-phase power design with "mutual back-up to each 12 phase," an onboard debug LED for simplified troubleshooting as well as power, reset, and clear CMOS buttons. Overclocking features include dual BIOS ROMs, hardware overvoltage control IC, an overvoltage and temperature reminder, and more.

Dell intros low-cost 21.5, 23-inch IPS screens

If you're shopping for a color-accurate display on a budget, Dell might have just what you're looking for. The company has introduced its 21.5 U2211H and 23-inch U2311H monitors with IPS panels, which are priced at $279 and $299 on Dell's US site.

Both monitors have a resolution of 1920x1080, can display 16.7 million colors, have 178-degree viewing angles, an 8ms GTG response time, VGA, DisplayPort, and DVI-D connectors, as well as four USB 2.0 ports. The screens also have height, pivot, tilt, and swivel adjustability.

The U2211H and U2311H are currently available and ship with Dell's three-year premium panel warranty.

Dell ships Studio XPS 7100 with six-core Phenom II

AMD's Phenom II X6 processor has found its way into a new machine today with the launch of Dell's Studio XPS 7100. While it's readily available through gaming PC builders, few major players have jumped on the six-core chip – until now, of course.

The machine is configurable with various preset Phenom II X6 and Radeon HD combos, the best of which is an X6 1055T and HD 5870. Other pairs include the Phenom II X6 1035T and Radeon HD 5670, X6 1055T and HD 5450, X6 1055T and HD 5670, and the X6 1035T with an HD 5870. Quad-core Phenom II processors are also listed.

You can add 6, 8, 12 or 16GB of DDR3 1333MHz RAM, 1 or 1.5TB of storage with an optional secondary hard drive in RAID 0 or 1, single or dual optical drives with a Blu-ray reader or writer, and naturally, Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate 64-bit.

The Studio XPS 7100 line kicks off at $499, but it seems like the cheapest hexacore configuration is around $699. Systems ordered today have a preliminary ship date of May 26.

Mushkin ships 60GB, 120GB, 240GB Callisto SSDs

Mushkin has announced the availability of its Callisto solid-state drives, which come in three iterations that vary only in capacity and price. All models make use of the new SandForce SF-1200 controller and boast peak read speeds of 285MB/s, while write speeds top out at 275MB/s. The Callisto drives have a MTBF of two million hours, and are backed by a three-year warranty.

The 60GB model has a list price of $240.49, the 120GB version is $406.99, and the 240GB version is $733.49. Mushkin also provides an alternative "web price" of $218.49, $369.99 and $666.49, respectively, which is more along the lines of what you can expect to see when shopping for a Callisto. In fact, the company's own store sells them at that price.

Apple to fix iPad Wi-Fi issues with future software update

Apple has updated a support document to say that it will address iPad Wi-Fi issues in an upcoming software update. A handful of iPad owners have experienced issues with Wi-Fi connectivity, and in the meantime, the company has provided a few potential workarounds.

Apple says users who "consistently encounter issues connecting to a specific Wi-Fi network" should update their router's firmware. If you happen to be using an AirPort Base Station, check out this article for details on performing the update, otherwise the information should be readily available at your device manufacturer's website.

After updating your router, you should make sure you're using WPA or WPA2 wireless security, and not WEP. Next, you should renew your IP address by going to Settings > Wi-Fi > select your network > tap Renew Lease. Other suggestions include toggling Wi-Fi on and off, as well as ensuring that your screen brightness isn't at its lowest level (Settings > Brightness & Wallpaper).

EA to fend off used game sales with "Online Pass"

It's no secret how most video game developers and publishers feel about the second hand market, but it seems Electronic Arts has actually devised a plan to make up for the lost sales. Beginning with Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, players will need an "Online Pass" to enjoy the game over Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. These passes are included with new copies of the game, but second hand buyers will have to purchase another pass for $10.

The scheme will be replicated in all EA Sports titles going forward. As executive Peter Moore puts it, the move is all about accelerating the company's commitment to enhance premium online services to the entire robust EA Sports online community. In other words, it will help them rake in bigger profits. It may sound shady but for EA business is business, and it's not the first time something like this has been tried. Sony did something similar with SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs, while Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 2 both included bonus content for new buyers only.

Used game purchasers will get access to a 7 day Online Pass trial, but after that you'll have to plunk down extra cash to get the full experience.

Samsung intros new 15.6" business notebook, P580

Samsung today expanded its professional mobile offering with the P580, a 15.6-inch notebook. The new machine targets business users who Samsung says expect "practicality coupled with performance and a price that won't break the bank." Sadly, the company hasn't released any pricing information, so you'll just have to take their word for it at this point.

The P580 can be configured with five different Intel Core i3 and i5 processors (up to the i5-520M), 2GB to 4GB of RAM, Nvidia GeForce GT 330M graphics with 1GB of GDDR3 VRAM, four USB 2.0 ports (one eSATA combo), Serial and Docking ports, 802.11b/g/n, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR, and a full-sized numeric keypad. The laptop's 1,366x768 LED-backlit display defies conformity, opting for a matte finish instead of the all-too-trendy glossy look.

Also, the machine is coated in rubber to boost its likelihood of repelling scratches and clumsy mishaps. Naturally, Windows 7 Professional comes preloaded onto the HDD, but Samsung hasn't revealed what drive capacities will be available – nor when the P580 will ship.

Mozilla discusses Firefox 4 plans, beta 'could' be out in June

With Google's Chrome making big market share gains month after month and Microsoft working hard on Internet Explorer 9, the pressure is on stagnating Mozilla to step up its game and stay competitive. In an attempt to spark some interest for the next major upgrade of its open source browser, Firefox team leader Mike Beltzner delivered a presentation yesterday night outlining the company's plans for the near future.

In a nutshell, Beltzner listed three main goals for Firefox 4: making it super fast, including support for new open standard web technologies (HTML 5 and more), and putting users in full control of their web experience with personalization features. Beltzner noted that Firefox 3.7 would be ditched in favor of an update to 3.6, version 3.6.4, which will include the former's main additions like out-of-process plug-ins for improved stability and security.

As for Firefox 4, Mozilla is hoping to release beta versions this summer, possibly as early as June, with the final release shipping sometime around November if all goes according to plans. One significant change coming under the hood is JaegerMonkey, which combines Firefox's current JavaScript engine with elements of those used in Chrome and Safari browsers. Also on the Firefox 4 plan is support for 64-bit processors, a streamlined main thread, and DOM improvements, as well as an overhauled and simplified user interface across all platforms.

AMD launches six new Athlon II processors

Committed to delivering the best bang for the buck, AMD is launching a total of six new processors today aimed squarely at budget and value price segments. The release consists of slightly higher clocked models in the Athlon II family available at about the same prices as previous flagships. That means around $150 and under -- and as you've seen from our last two processor round-ups this is where AMD hits the hardest.

At the upper end of the spectrum is the new quad-core Athlon II X4 640 for $122, which takes over from the 2.9GHz Athlon II X4 635 with a 100MHz bump in clock frequency and the same 2MB of L2 cache (4 x 512KB) and 95W TDP. Just below that is the new triple-core Athlon II X3 445, which is again clocked 100MHz higher than its predecessor, the 3.0GHz 440, and has 1.5MB (3x 512KB) of L2 cache along the same 95W TDP for around $87.

The 3.2GHz Athlon II X2 260 picks up from where the 3.1GHz 255 left off, priced at around $76, with a total of 2MB L2 cache and a TDP of 65W. Then if you are interested in building a media center PC or simply want to keep power consumption at a minimum, three new processors are available: the Athlon II X4 610e clocked at 2.4GHz for $145, the 2.5GHz Athlon II X3 415e for $102, and the Athlon II X2 245e clocked at 2.9GHz priced at $77. All three of them carry 45W TDPs. The dual core part features 1MB L2 cache per core, and the remaining two each offer 512KB per core.

Digital Storm intros Black Ops Assassin PC with GTX 480

Digital Storm has introduced the Assassin, a new model in the company's Black Ops desktop range. Like most boutique PC offerings, the Assassin can be outfitted with a myriad of today's finest hardware, but the machine is advertised with three base configurations: Performance ($2,387), Enthusiast ($2,535), and Extreme ($2,693).

By default, all three systems have their guts stuffed in the Black Ops Assassin chassis, but more "modest" options, such as the Cooler Master HAF 932 are available at a $100+ savings. Every default configuration feature the 2.8GHz Core i7 930, 6GB of DDR3 1600MHz RAM, a 500GB HDD, a 750W PSU, an Asetek liquid cooling system, free CPU overclocking to 3.9GHz, and Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit.


Despite the significant price leaps, the GPU and motherboard (all X58-based) are the only two components that seem change between price points. The Performance PC has an Nvidia GeForce GTX 470, the Enthusiast rig has an ATI Radeon HD 5870, while the Extreme machine has a GeForce GTX 480. All systems ship with a three-year parts and labor warranty and should arrive by May 25 if ordered today.

Lenovo outs new notebook, nettop, all-in-one PCs, more

Lenovo has pushed out a host of new machines spanning notebooks as well as all-in-one and compact desktops. The mobile systems are largely focused on entertainment and include the IdeaPad Z560, Z565, Z360 and U160, while the desktop models include the IdeaCentre Q150 nettop, A700 AIO, B305 AIO and the Lenovo H320 standard desktop package.

The Z560 and Z565 are the largest notebook additions, both measuring 15.6 inches and carrying 1366x768 displays. They're mostly identical except the Z560 is powered by an Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 processor and Nvidia 310M or 315M graphics, while the Z565 relies on single, dual, triple and quad-core AMD processors as well as ATI mobility Radeon HD 4200 or 5470 graphics. They can be configured with up to 8GB of RAM, 640GB of storage and a Blu-ray drive.

The Z360 simply crams the Z560's specs into a 13.3-inch body, but the 11.6-inch U160 changes the formula a bit. Although it has the same Intel processors as its bulkier siblings, it only offers Intel integrated graphics, up to 4GB of RAM and 500GB of storage and no Blu-ray drive. In its favor, the system boasts up to seven hours of runtime and weighs just over three pounds with a six-cell battery.

Moving down the line, the 21mm-thin IdeaCentre Q150 nettop packs a dual-core Atom D410 or 510 processor, an Nvidia Ion GPU, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, up to 500GB of storage, 802.11n Wi-Fi, four USB ports, VGA-out, 5.1 channel audio and a multimedia remote with a trackball mouse and keyboard.

Sony revamps VAIO P, adds accelerometer, touchpad, more

Sony has followed up on its recent "New Ultra Mobile" teaser by announcing a refreshed VAIO P, just as tipsters previously indicated. The revamped VAIO P is powered by an Intel Atom Z540 and still features the GMA 500, 2GB of DDR2 RAM, a 64GB SSD, a webcam, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WWAN, GPS, two USB ports, an 8-inch 1600x768 display, and Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit.

At first glance, it doesn't seem like much has changed, and for the core machine, that's mostly true. However, along with painting the series lively shades of green, orange and pink, Sony has lowered the starting price and expanded on the system's features, making it a little more difficult to dismiss the VAIO P as an oddly shaped, overpriced netbook.

It now has an accelerometer to adjust screen orientation and a digital compass in case you're stranded in the wilderness – or NYC. The company has also added a tiny touchpad built into the right side of the screen bezel, with left and right-click buttons on the opposite side. The system is lighter at 1.32lbs and pledges a lengthier runtime of five hours or up to 10 hours with an extended battery.

The new VAIO P will kick off in June for $800, and Sony is currently accepting preorders.

Gigabyte outs new Mini-ITX case with attachable VESA arm

Gigabyte has rolled out a new Mini-ITX case with an attachable VESA arm. The MIB T3140's mounting system lets you bolt a display above of the chassis and supports 17 to 23-inch flat panel screens with 7.5 x 7.5cm and 10 x 10cm mounting holes. Once secured, you can adjust the monitor's height and tilt angles. Furthermore, the arm is removable if you would rather use the chassis alone.

The enclosure measures 268 x 70 x 319mm and has enough room for a Mini-ITX motherboard, a slim optical drive, and a single 3.5-inch storage drive. Gigabyte includes a 65W internal power supply, USB 2.0 and audio ports, a 60mm "silent" fan, and HDD anti-vibration pads. The MIB T3140 is currently available for €69, while an older, bulkier model is priced at €49.

While we're on the subject, it's worth noting that Lian Li has just launched its new PC-V352 HTPC, which offers two external 5.25-inch bays, three 3.5-inch internal bays, two USB 3.0 ports, eSATA, audio jacks, an SD card reader, a removable motherboard tray, three fans with a fan controller, support for up to 28cm graphics cards, and more. It should ship later this month for $169 or $189 depending on the color.